On Purpose

Purpose feels like a new discovery for me. When I say purpose, I mean like a mission. Sure, I had goals before…I never would have made it through grad school without goals. But really, I lived day-to-day without thinking about where my energy was being directed. Sometimes, it was more like “staying afloat.”

First off, I’m all for taking it one day at a time.

When I think about purpose, though, it makes it easier for me to take it one day at a time, because I know my energy that day is being directed toward my priorities ….I’m less pulled in different directions. Less stressed.

My reflections on purpose began when I read Walking With Purpose after a serendipitous recommendation by a parent book club at my school.

In the book, Lisa Brenninkmeyer talks about how to identify the priorities in your life, and then make the focus of your days fit your priorities…and eliminate that which doesn’t serve your purpose. The takeaway (for me) was that many of us can identify our priorities (family, health, etc.), yet we spend the bulk of our energy on things like working and owning and stress.  This is not new science.  But sometimes we need to hear it (read it) again to really think about it.

Then, I started listening to The Chalene Show (she’s how I found that Mike Stelzner I told y’all about in This Might Not Work: The Importance of Failure!).  Chalene Johnson talks consistently about the importance of priorities and goal-setting. Using some of her free tips and tricks, I now have a routine for making sure each day my energy is put towards activities that serve my priorities. My days are purposeful.

So, my blog should be purposeful as well. In network marketing, you’re often asked about your “why.” I guess it’s MLM speak for “what do you hope to gain from this experience?” or “what drives you to do well?”

Having purpose means reflecting on your “why” for most things, not just your business. After all, who wants to spent their days working toward something that doesn’t give them joy and a sense of fulfillment? I know you didn’t wake up this morning hoping you could waste your energy all day on something you don’t love (thanks, by the way, for taking the time and energy to be here with me!). Yet so often, that’s what we do. We settle.

Anyway, here’s my WHY for Being Quietly Confident.

I’ve had such an increase in confidence over the past short while… I’ve learned SO much about myself and my personality and my strengths and my challenges… and I’ve learned how to celebrate them all (fine, most)! So, I thought, “maybe others can relate to this experience of realizing my own value.”

Sure, if you ask Mr. BQC, he’ll say I’m still often stressed out and emotional and flustered (sorry, Mr. BQC, but my dad DID warn you <3). Life definitely isn’t perfect. But now I have an identifiable purpose. I feel like I can direct my energy toward MY priorities. Maybe the best part is I can relax each evening knowing my energy that day was put toward bettering myself, my life, my marriage, my time.

My plan is to share with you all the many new things I try over the next weeks, months, year, as long as you’ll keep reading.

I’ll take the risks. Sometimes they’ll be small risks, like a new makeup trick (if you know me, you KNOW what a risk makeup is for me…oh the irony). Sometimes they’ll be big risks, like buying a house or working toward my own private practice in counseling.

My hope is that my risks will inspire you to take your own,

even if they might not work.

Think of me sort of like your own personal “pinned it, tried it, learned something from it.”

I’ve got my goals set. They are written down, so they are real. And each day, I work with purpose to reach them.

I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going. Hopefully, you’ll start working to have purpose in your days… there are things in life so much more deserving of your energy!